Joe Burrow and the Bengals’ offensive line are giving this season a very different feel.
What had been a major problem area has turned into one of the clearest signs of progress for Cincinnati. Through five games, the Bengals have allowed nine sacks, which puts them 27th in the league, according to Ari Meirov. That total puts them on a 31-sack pace over the full season, a mark that would be their lowest since 2014, when a line featuring Andrew Whitworth and Kevin Zeitler gave up only 23 sacks.
The improvement goes beyond just keeping Burrow upright more often. Cincinnati’s line is also cutting down on pressure overall.
The Bengals currently rank fifth in the NFL in pressure rate allowed out of shotgun, and that matters because they live in that look so often. When Burrow is dropping back from shotgun, defenses simply aren’t getting to him the way they used to.
PFF’s view of the unit matches the trend. Cincinnati comes in just outside the top 10 at No. 11 in its offensive line rankings, and every starter has posted a pass-block grade of 60 or better except center Ted Karras, who checked in at 59.2.
The best work has come on the right side. Dalton Risner and Amarius Mims have both graded as top-20 pass-blockers, and Risner has been especially strong with an overall grade of 81.7 and a run-blocking grade of 80.7.
Mims, meanwhile, has made the biggest leap of any Bengals lineman this season. He has become a potential all-pro level right tackle, allowing the lowest pressure rate among tackles at 4% even while facing the second-most one-on-one situations at 87.6%.
That progress gets put right back under the microscope Sunday in Baltimore. The Bengals will have to deal with Trey Hendrickson, who has produced a 22.7% pressure rate in four games this season along with two sacks.
He should get plenty of chances against Orlando Brown Jr., a matchup that could tilt in Hendrickson’s favor. Brown has allowed a team-high 12 pressures and three sacks this season.
If Cincinnati wants its line play to stay on this upward track, holding up against Hendrickson is the next test.
In Other News...
Joe Burrow And Bengals Weapons Flipped Everything In Baltimore
For a half at M&T Bank Stadium, it looked like Cincinnati was in danger of wasting a golden chance against a Baltimore team missing Lamar Jackson. The Bengals were blanked before halftime, but Joe Burrow and the offense came out transformed after the break, turning a flat first half into a lopsided 35-13 win that pushed Cincinnati to 4-2 overall and 1-1 in the AFC North.
The second-half surge was driven by Burrow and the group around him, with the passing game suddenly finding the rhythm it lacked early. Baltimore got a huge performance from Tyler Huntley, who set a career high with 298 passing yards, but the Ravens could not keep pace once Cincinnati started landing big plays and flipping the games momentum. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals May Have A Mike Gesicki Problem After Ravens Shootout
Mike Gesickis day in Cincinnatis wild comeback against Baltimore looked productive on the scoreboard, but the fuller picture was a little more complicated. The Bengals were forced into a shootout and leaned on several different targets as they battled back, with Gesicki showing up in the end zone in a game that featured plenty of offensive fireworks across the league at tight end.
The concern for Cincinnati is that the box score may flatter the usage more than the role itself. Gesickis impact came without a steady stream of catches, which leaves the Bengals with a familiar question about how much of his value is tied to timely finishes rather than a consistently involved passing game. In a week when several tight ends around the NFL either popped for big production or faded quiet, Cincinnati may have uncovered something useful and still not fully solved it. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Sent A Loud Message In Baltimore After Halftime Frustration
The Bengals walked into Baltimore with plenty to prove after a first half that left them scoreless, but the trip turned quickly once Zac Taylors halftime adjustments took hold. Cincinnati looked nothing like the team that had been stifled early, coming out with a sharper pace and a more decisive attack against a Ravens group that had controlled the opening 30 minutes.
Joe Burrow was central to the turnaround, with Tee Higgins and JaMarr Chase helping the passing game find its rhythm in a 35-13 win. The second-half surge served as a loud reminder of how dangerous this offense can be when it settles in, and it left Baltimore with plenty to sort through after Cincinnati flipped the script in emphatic fashion. [Read more 🡒]